The Board granted increased initial ratings of 20 percent for left ankle degenerative arthritis and 10 percent for a painful residual scar on the dorsal surface of the left foot, status post bone removal.
The deciding factor: Resolving reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran, the Board found that his symptoms most nearly approximated marked limitation of motion during the period on appeal due to regular episodes where he could not walk on his ankle due to swelling. For the painful scar, the evidence was in approximate balance as to whether it had been painful over the period on appeal.
- Claimed conditions
- left ankle degenerative arthritis, painful residual scar on the dorsal surface of the left foot, status post bone removal
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- June 25, 2025
- Citation
- A25055153
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,062 · Granted: 34% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
This is a plain-language summary generated by AI from a public Board of Veterans’ Appeals decision. It can contain errors — always verify against the original. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation A25055153.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for a rating in excess of 10 percent for left ankle degenerative arthritis has been dismissed.,Service connection for the right shoulder condition is granted, and new evidence supports readjudicating the claim for residuals of CAPSO.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, TBI, and vertigo, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the claims for left ankle degenerative arthritis, left foot degenerative arthritis, and left foot post-surgical scar due to an error in failing to provide notice of the right to a hearing on a supplemental claim.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of a left ankle condition, finding that there was no evidence to support a nexus between his current disability and his military service.
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